Standing at a distance, she gazed at the man’s crucified body, dying on a cross, as her heart pounded in agony. Deep sobs heaved her chest. Her knees began to buckle.
What brought her to the cross? A mother’s love. For this was Mary’s son, dying for the world.

John the disciple, who had leaned upon this Divine Man so many times, stood with Mary, in utter dismay.
What brought him to the cross? Genuine love and deep gratitude.

With John and Mary stood Mary Magdalene, trembling. Tears of grief streamed down her cheeks.
What brought her to the cross? Love, for the forgiveness of the sins in her life, for scripture says, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.” (Luke 7:47a NKJV)

Kneeling on the ground at the foot of this Man’s cross, the soldiers cast lots for His tunic.
What brought them to the cross? Their duty. And now their greed.

Two thieves hung on either side of this cross.
What brought them to the cross? Violation of the law.

Simon the Cyrenian was there.
What brought him to the cross? Bearing the burden of the cross to the hill of sacrifice.

The multitude gathered, murmuring to each other.
What brought them to the cross? Anger. Belittlement. Wonderment. Doubting.

The chief priests stood with the scribes, poised in pride and defiance.
What brought them to the cross? To mock Him, thinking it all utter foolishness.

What did all these have in common? They all needed the very thing for which this Man Jesus was dying on the cross: Salvation and the forgiveness of their sins.

Some accepted it; some rejected it. Paul later wrote to the Corinthians, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Cor. 1:18 NIV)
What brings you to the cross? Love? Gratitude? Grief? Duty? Violation of God’s Law? Bearing a burden? Anger? Belittlement? Wonderment? Doubt? Pride? Defiance? Mocking?

Do you come weeping in pain, sorrow, or loss? Emptied of hopes and dreams? Feeling lost in your circumstances?
Without the cross, there would be no Garden of Easter Gladness…to lift you up, to wipe away your tears, to remove your grave clothes of fear and depression.

Walk that trail from the cross to Easter’s Garden of resurrection. See your Savior Jesus standing there, waiting for you.

He compassionately whispers your name and says, “Do not wear the grave-clothes stained with the tears of grief. Come into My garden of beauty and I will give you the robe of Easter’s resurrection gladness. Take My Hand and let Me lead you along the path to life everlasting. I will never leave you nor forsake you. I gave My life that you might live eternally with Me.”

Jesus always brings us hope of resurrection as on that first Easter morn. He says, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 NKJV)
Do you believe this? If so, weep no more. May you experience the salvation and forgiveness of the cross, the power of the resurrection, and embrace the risen life in a new way this Easter season.
What brings you to the cross? May it be…Genuine Love.

Something happened to me the other day on Twitter. I got a burr under my saddle blanket! Kinda got me hoppin’! I got rather irritated. Okay. Truth be told, I got offended. But it takes some doing for me to feel offended.

I didn’t want to alienate; I didn’t want to become a mean Christian. I wanted to be godly; but I think I may have failed.

Someone I newly connected with tweeted to me (his/her first tweet to me) that included a couple of questions. I felt as though this person was beating me over the head with his/her Bible and the L word: the Law. You know, the Law of you need to do things my way ’cause my rules are the right way to do things.

I asked this person if s/he were the Law police. Yeah, I felt frustrated. However, I will defend this person, as it was his/her effort “trying to help other Christians be practical” in their walk with the Lord.

It was not the means but the manner that irked me. Good intentions. Bad delivery. I thought my delivery left something to be desired as well.

I’m not writing this to offend back. I’m not writing this to sling any mud. In fact, I pray this person does well to help and bless other Christians. But I also pray that his/her delivery improves!

In the midst of my conversation with this person, I wanted to be accountable, to be as controlled and kind as possible, so I asked a special friend to check it out for me and make sure my response was gracious. She soothed my concerns with her precious words and ever-present encouragement.

If anger is allowed to glow too hot, its embers explode on another and leave blisters. Anger separates; gentleness joins. I did my best to be, um, kind and we ended our conversation on a friendly note.

This all made me think. I’ve seen a lot of rules and regulations disguised as biblical guidelines. Too much tradition smacking of the-Bible-says-so. I do not like placing believers back under the Law, under the shadow of Sinai.

It made me wonder how often we beat others over the head with our manmade rules, spouting them as law.
What divine do’s and don’ts do we stress that other believers adhere to? No tattoos. No weird hair colors. Watch that hair length. No makeup. Follow the rules for Bible reading and quiet time.

All these things we think should rule a person’s life. But are they biblical? Some rules may seem good but when they fall outside of grace, we should let go of them and let everyone be accountable to God on their own.

Then…under the shadow of Sinai, under the LawNow…under the shadow of the cross, under Grace

Christ puts His law in each believer’s heart when that heart allows Him to do so, and we cannot play God by trying to force another to adhere to any other laws.How much of the Word is a believer taught by beating that one over the head with it versus how much is caught by seeing grace lived out in another believer?
Jesus will cause us to walk in His statutes; He will guide us into the Father’s will and purpose, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Phil. 2:13 NIV)

“May he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.” (Heb. 13:21 NLT)

So, has someone ever put you under the shadow of Sinai? Have you ever done it to someone else?

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